When We Didn’t Know What Was There
by Firefly Knights
Summary: When you're a child, there's things you can't see. JamesElizabeth as children. Very cheesy and fluffy.


Disclaimer: I wish I owned Pirates. I don't.

To my dear sister. One girl who isn't allowed to not be my friend. I love you.

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When We Didn't Know What Was There

"Oh, there you are," said the nobleman, grabbing James by the arm as he was about to leave the estate, "Your parents have decided to stay here for the night."

"What?" asked a confused James. Apparently his parents hadn't let him in on this quite yet.

"The nanny is sick, do you mind, James, if you could do us a little favor…"

---

"Noooo James! You have to read it like you mean it."

James Norrington, seventeen at that point, made an odd twitch as he looked over to the little girl sitting next to him. Why? What had this all happened? He was stuck babysitting? Him, babysitting. He was going to be promoted to a real English Navy sailor tomorrow, and he was stuck here, looking after something so annoying. Only because she was a noble and their families happened to know each other. He decided to glare out of the window, to see if ignoring her for a few moments would make him feel any better.

England passed by outside, ignoring James' predicament. They were on the second floor, and carriages clattered a few feet below. Rich men and woman were surely laughing at whatever they laugh at in those carriages. No children were about anymore, but a few intoxicated old men walked the streets. The constable outside kept close watch of them. The Swann residence was safe, at least. The clouds were boring and grey that night. They drifted slowly across the night sky, only to be followed by more boring grey cousins. Finding no comfort in the outside world, James took his eyes away from the window.

He closed the book carefully; making sure his finger was keeping the place where he had left off. Never mind the fact that it was only the page after the title and that he would be able to find it in a flash. He could never be too careful. He fixed little Miss Elizabeth Swann, an "adorable" six year old, with the best disapproving look he could muster. She was a difficult child to put up with.

"Elizabeth, it's only a bedtime story," argued James, tired of this already, "It doesn't matter how I..."

"Noooo! You have to read it to me right!" shrieked the little girl, obviously unable to control herself. As expected from a seven year old, "Read it right! Read it right!"

She looked right back at him, crossing her tiny little arms. He tried to retaliate, opened his mouth, closed it, then rolled his eyes. Opening the book again, he tried…again.

"Long ago," began James, thinking of the whole thing as something completely unnecessary, "there was a legend of a ghostly black ship that sometimes appeared when the fog grew thick. Its sails were big and black, as though…"

He stopped, trailing off at what he saw ahead in the text. No. It couldn't be. Why did she own a book like this?

"This really isn't the proper kind of book for a lady such as…"

"Pleeeeeeeeese, James. You have to! Nanny won't read it for me!" said the little girl. She jumped back, landing her head on the pillow. Her hand curled around a little stuffed bear at hand. She had seemed to change her tactic, and smiled angelically up at James. He sighed tiredly. The little girl only hugged her stuffed bear tighter. He could see in her eyes that she knew she had won this arguement. She was right, but it couldn't hurt to try.

"I can see why she doesn't read it to you. It's not a very…Nice book."

"Oh please, James," she pleaded, "Can you read it to me, please?"

James' face faltered slightly, but he began reading again,

"Its sails were big and black, as though they had been cut from shadow and sewn with sin," he sighed, allowing himself to sound more enthusiastic, "The timber…the timbers had been stained dark with…" the text said blood. He skipped that part, "…innocent souls unlucky enough to cross the black ship's path."

He turned to Elizabeth, "Asleep yet?"

"No," she said, but at that exact moment, a yawn escaped her. She already seemed sleepy. The girl burrowed under the covers and clutched the bear close to herself. He forced down a fond smile, and turned back to the book. Now that she was calm, she didn't seem that bad. Actually, she was very good company when she was quiet. He nodded to himself and continued.

"And its crew, it was said, were pirates all…"

"I like pirates," said the young lady sleepily. Her head was covered with the blanket. James shook his head. Children had no idea what pirates were.

"…cursed to sail forever under a foul wind of…"he again skipped a word, this time murder, "…mischief."

James looked over. Elizabeth made no more noise. Carefully, the young sailor-to-be moved the covers that were over her head. She was breathing softly. Well, he didn't have to read that far in the horrid book, did he? He waited a little longer, just to be careful. She continued her trip in her dreamland. He brushed little loose hairs out of her face and smiled. He stood up slowly, making sure not to wake her. The young man trod quietly across the room to the door. Taking one last look around the girly little room, he turned out the gas lamp on her wall.

"Good night, Elizabeth," he whispered, and hopped down the stairs to the guest room that awaited him.

Under the covers, a young Elizabeth smiled. She had won. Just what she had won, was not what she had expected.

A young sailor's heart.

* * *

My little sister and I were reading the junior novelization of The Curse of the Black Pearl. She began reading the first part with the funniest Norrington accent ever. Then that triggered my mental image of young Norrington reading to an even younger Elizabeth. It wouldn't leave my head. That's where it came from. I'm lame I know.

Review, please. Thank you.

Edited out all the spelling errors.


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